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ePaper created 2015-11-10, 17:27:36 | version 1.33.00
REDACTED Page 183 of 190 v) Persecution of human rights and NGOs activists and lawyers The GoV has persistently targeted and persecuted lawyers who represent students and demonstrators charged in the context of the demonstrations. President Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking officials have on several occasions made declarations on Venezuelan national television targeting human rights organizations such as Provea, a human rights network formerly run by Marino Alvarado. More specifically on 21 August 2015, President Maduro specifically accused Provea of being a right-wing organization funded by the USA and pointed the finger at Alvarado, referring to him as an “informant”.814 On 1 October 2015, Alvarado and his 9-year-old son were victims of an armed attack in a raid on their home in Caracas. Marino Alvarado was attacked in his doorway as he arrived home with his son when three unknown attackers forced their way into the building brandishing 9mm caliber firearms and hitting Marino Alvarado on the head. During the 40 minutes ordeal, they bound him and his son, raiding the apartment from which they took two laptops, a tablet, two phones, a camera and cash.815 This is the case of José Vicente Haro and Pierina Camposeo, who represent several students and demonstrators prisoners, including Resistance Movement members, Rodolfo González (“the aviator”) and his wife, and students imprisoned in “The Tomb” (the SEBIN headquarters).816 They have been threatened many times, through several means, including by phone, Twitter and personally.817 For instance, on March 15, 2015, Haro and Camposeo were ambushed and pointed with a gun from behind, on the same day, at approximately the same time, but in different places.818 On March 27, 2015, and during the following days, Mr. Haro 814 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL .(2015) Armed assault against human rights defender must be investigated. Amnesty International. [Online] 2 October 2015. Available from: http://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/38160/ 815 PROVEA. (2015) Secuestran, roban y golpean a activista de DDHH Marino Alvarado e hijo en su vivienda. Provea. [Online] 1 October 2015. Available from: http://www.derechos.org.ve/2015/10/01/secuestran-roban-y-golpean-a-activista-de-ddhh-marino- alvarado-e-hijo-en-su-vivienda/ 816 VENEZUELA AWARENESS. (2015) 27Mz Continuan amenazas contra equipo del abogado Jose Vicente Haro. Venezuela Awareness. [Online] 27 March. Available from: http://www.venezuelaawareness.com/2015/03/27mz-continuan-amenazas-contra-equipo-del- abogado-jose-vicente-haro/ [Accessed 27 October, 2015]; ALONSO, J.F. (2015) CIDH ordena a Venezuela proteger a dos abogados que han recibido amenazas. El Universal. [Online] 10 September. Available from: http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/150910/cidh-ordena-a-venezuela- proteger-a-dos-abogados-que-han-recibido-amena [Accessed 27 October, 2015] 817 NOTICIERO GIGITAL. (2015) La Verdad: Amenazan de muerte a José Vicente Haro 818 HARO. J.V. (2015) Sobre las amenazas de muerte en mi contra por defender presos políticos. Buscando el Norte. [Online] 17 April. Available from: http://josevicenteharogarcia.blogspot.com/2015/04/sobre- las-amenazas-de-muerte-en-mi.html [Accessed 27 October, 2015]